Scott’s Lakers 74
Portlaoise Panthers 92
Report by Enda Walshe
The four game winning run of Scott’s Lakers came to an end when they met a side who have yet to lose a game this season in the Men’s Basketball League.
Portlaoise Panthers came to Killarney with their boots full and left with the points after a physical encounter. A mature side, they have profited from the demise of SETU Carlow with the shrewd acquisition of Kevin Donohue and Xabier Arriaga, with the latter particularly impressive.
A strong contender most seasons, they look well placed to mount another challenge. They possess no shortage of skill or game knowledge and have an ability to defend to the very limit of the rules.
The Lakers, on the other hand, shouldn’t be too downhearted after what is only their second defeat of the season and were well in the game heading down the stretch. It is games like this that lessons can be gleaned from and will be beneficial to them in the long run. No time to rest on their laurels, they head to Limerick next weekend to measure themselves against the division’s other table toppers the Celtics.
Darnell Snyers, MVP last weekend, picked up the baton to fire early but the Panthers got a foothold through the promptings of Eric Anderon, Davin McEvoy and James Phelan though it was 19-19 at quarters end.
The early stages of the second quarter were nip and tuck with Blackwell and Carroll helping the Lakers into a 25-22 lead but the visitors rallied and held a 64-54 third quarter lead.
Snyers and Blackwell hit six without reply to get the Lakers into the conversation and when Snyers weaved in again it was still a six-point game with six minutes to go.
The closing stages saw the Panthers exert their influence and with a physically bigger squad they started to wear down the Lakers. Arriaga and Anderson pushed out the lead and when Cillian O’Connell hit a three the writing was on the wall for the Lakers.
The Panthers though were out the gap, victorious on a 92-74 scoreline.
Mikah Blackwell had a game high 29 points, Darnell Snyers netted 22, Eoin Carroll 13, Abdul Oladipupo six, with John Hughes and Jack O’Sullivan on two each.
For the winners Eric Anderson had 25, Xabier Arriaga 19, James Phelan 17, Davin McEvoy 12 and Cillian O’Connell hit seven.
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